If you wish to receive a copy of the Constitution in PDF/ Word document, please email disabledwomenireland@gmail.com.

Constitution of DWI

Section One: Aims and Objectives 

Aim

The organisation is a national voice for the needs and rights of disabled women, girls and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people and a national force to advocate for our rights.

Values 

Our values are determined by our members and can be accessed at the following link: https://www.disabledwomenireland.org/our-values

Alternatively, email disabledwomenireland@gmail.com for a copy of our Values statement.

Objectives

The objectives of Disabled Women Ireland are:

(a) to actively promote the participation of disabled women, girls and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people in all aspects of social, economic, political and cultural life;

(b) to advocate on issues of concern to disabled women, girls and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people in Ireland; 

(c) to seek to be the national representative organisation for disabled women, girls and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people in Ireland by:

  • undertaking systemic advocacy;

  • providing policy advice;

  • direct action;

  • institutional engagement; and

  • providing support, information and education

Section Two: Governing Structure

We endeavour to be both representative and non-hierarchical – while maintaining an effective working structure.  

The organisation will be led by a steering group, but most of our work will be carried out through working group teams. This allows us to have as many of our members engaged as possible – and gives us the best opportunity to develop as an organisation and to break down barriers and reach our goal of equality for disabled women and non-binary/genderqueer and gender non-confirming people. 

The current working groups will be as follows:

Campaigns Team 

  • Runs specific campaigns on issues 

  • Manages creative and artistic events 

  • Manages campaign events 

  • Develops material 

Membership Development Team 

  • Recruits new members, and ensure that our membership is representative 

  • Develops the newsletter 

  • Organises social and community building events

Fundraising Team 

  • Runs fundraising events 

  • Submits grant proposals 

  • Works with the treasurer to ensure financial viability of the organisation

Partnerships and Outreach Team 

  • Represents DWI on an inter organisation level 

  • Builds strategic partnerships 

  • Engages across the disability rights and feminist movements to ensure disabled women are represented 

Policy and Advocacy Team 

  • Develops policy 

  • Manages the strategic advocacy and action 

  • Advocates on a local, national and international level 

Communications Team 

  • Runs social media 

  • Engages with the press 

  • Develops content 


The Steering Group:

The steering group shall consist of two representatives from each working group, alongside the co-directors, the treasurer, and the secretary who are directly elected at the AGM. 

The Board:

The board itself will be directly elected at the annual general meeting and should be representative of the organisation as a whole. The board will consist of two co-directors, a treasurer and secretary. The board shall sit on the steering group and shall carry out the aims of the organisation, as decided upon within the steering group.

Secretary

(1) The Secretary of DWI shall, as soon as practicable after being appointed as Secretary, notify DWI of their address.

(2) The Secretary shall keep (or cause to be kept) minutes of:

(a) all elections and appointments of Committee Members;

(b) the names of Committee Members present at a Committee meeting or a general meeting; and

(c) all proceedings at Committee 


Section Three: Membership

Types of membership

There are two classes of membership:

(a) full membership; and

(b) associate membership.


Full membership

Full membership is open to disabled cis and trans women, trans men and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people who are resident in Ireland or hold an Irish Passport or were born in Northern Ireland 

Associate membership

Associate membership is open to

  1. person who: does not identify as a disabled cis and trans women, trans men and non-binary/genderqueer/ gender non-confirming people and 

(i) Is resident in Ireland or Northern Ireland and

(ii) in the reasonable opinion of the Membership Development Team, are supportive of the aims, values and objectives of the Association.

  1. Organisations which in the reasonable opinion of the Membership Development Team, are supportive of the aims, values and objectives of the Association.

Membership Entitlements 

(a) Full Members have the right to vote at annual and emergency general meeting and may hold office 

(b) Associate Members cannot vote at annual and emergency general meetings but may attend the annual general meeting  and emergency general meetings and, if the person chairing the annual/ emergency general meeting permits, may speak at the meeting.


Membership Administration is Governed by the Membership Development Team 

The membership development team shall keep and maintain a register of its Members and shall enter in the register the following particulars for each Member:

• the Member’s name and address, email and telephone number;

• the Member’s class of membership;

• the date of admission to membership; and

• the date of termination of membership.

A GDPR officer will be appointed by the board. 


Fees and Dues 

 (1) The entrance fee to the Organisation is the amount determined by resolution of the steering committee from time to time

(2) The annual membership fee of the Organisation is the amount determined by resolution of the steering committee, from time to time.

(3) Fees and dues are voluntary. 

(4) No member should be excluded for financial reasons. 


Discipline

Membership discipline is determined by the code of conduct  

Remedy may be sought by the board 


Section Four: Elections

Elections of the Co-Directors, Board members, Treasurer and Secretary shall occur by secret ballot.

Team leads shall be nominated by their respective teams. 

All full members are entitled to one vote. 

Each Member shall be entitled to appoint another Member as proxy by notice given to the Secretary. 

Annual General Meetings 

DWI shall hold its first annual general meeting within 12 months of establishment. 

It shall hold an AGM within the next calendar year of every year following 

Four weeks’ notice must be given to members for a general meeting to be valid, this shall not apply to meetings held in extraordinary circumstances.  All documentation pertaining to the AGM must be made available to all members two weeks before the AGM. 

AGMS shall serve to:

 (a) to confirm the minutes of the last preceding annual general meeting and of any general meeting held since that meeting;

(b) to receive from the Committee reports on the activities of the Organisation 

(c) to elect Board members, Directors, Treasurer and Secretary 

(d) to view statements of accounts, which will be sent to full members four weeks before the AGM 

(e) Any other business proposed by submitted to the board and circulated four days prior to the meeting 

A general meeting can be called at any time with a quorum of no less than ten members. A quorum is defined as the minimum number of full members that must be assembled.

No business other than that specified in the notice convening a general meeting shall be transacted at the meeting except in extraordinary circumstances. 

Decisions should be made by consensus – 

  • Where that is not possible an indication of a simple majority is sufficient to make a decision 

  • Where a poll is demanded it shall be facilitated by a returning officer appointed from the membership 


Section Four: Finance

The funds of DWI shall be derived from entrance fees and annual subscriptions of Members, donations and, subject to any resolution passed by steering group grants.

All money received by DWI shall be deposited as soon as practicable and without deduction to the credit of the Association’s bank account.

DWI shall, as soon as practicable after receiving any money, issue an appropriate receipt.

Subject to any resolution passed by DWI in general meeting, the funds of DWI shall be used in pursuance of the objects of DWI in such manner as the organisation determines.

All financial outgoings shall be signed by two committee members including one of either 1) Director or 2) Treasurer. For amounts exceeding €250, three committee member signatures will be required. 

DWI’s Treasurer shall collect and receive all monies due to DWI and make all payments authorised by the Association.

The Treasurer shall make note of all transactions in the accounts.  The treasurer shall  present a statement of accounts at the AGM. 

DWI shall keep accounting records that correctly record and explain the transactions and financial position of the organisation, and shall keep its accounting records in such a way that:

- accounts of DWI can be prepared from time to time;

- the accounts show the financial affairs of DWI with full details of all receipts and expenditure connected with all activities 

-  a statement of the accounts of DWI can conveniently and properly be audited.

- DWI shall retain its accounting records for at least 7 years after the transactions to which they relate were completed.